SARAH Beeny has said her move to the countryside was motivated by a longing for her sons to grow up in a "Swallows And Amazons childhood idyll".

The presenter and property expert is quitting London to move to a seven-bedroom house in Somerset with her husband Graham Swift and their four sons.

The couple bought the 220-acre sheep farm in August last year and Beeny has since split her time between the two properties.

She told Hello! magazine they decided to make a permanent move after considering their children's education.

She said: "I always said I would never sell this house - it represents my sons' childhood and we all have such magical memories here. But it's the right time.

"Graham's always wanted to move out of London and we've always harboured dreams of giving the boys that Swallows And Amazons childhood idyll.

"Children grow up too quickly in London. We just want them to be children as long as they can."

Beeny, the founder of estate agent Tepilo.com, appears in a new show - Renovate, Don't Relocate - which is due to air this month on UKTV.

She added: "It was the right time in their lives to make the change and we're very fortunate that we are in a position that we could make it happen. It's all about decluttering our lives.

"We're making life simpler so we can concentrate on the things that really matter.

"I would have been depressed about closing down this house if there wasn't a new door opening. But it feels like a new exciting chapter is beginning."